Modeling of IL-1 induced NF-κB signaling and analysis of additional UVB influence

NF-κB dependent enhancement of UVB-induced apoptosis has recently been reported upon co-stimulation of cells with IL-1, together with a sustained absence of the NF-κB inhibitor IκBα. In order to investigate the behavior of IκBα, an ODE model for the IL-1 receptor is developed, coupled with an existing NF-κB signaling module and parameterized using experimental and literature data. Functional dependencies between good fit parameters facilitate parameter identification for additional experimental data. The model is used to test and reject the hypothesis that the sustained absence of IκBα upon IL-l+UVB stimulation is due to an altered internalization behavior of the IL-1 receptor.